KARACHI – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed another robust session on Wednesday as investor optimism continued to lift market sentiment. The KSE-100 Index opened on a positive note and sustained strong buying interest throughout the morning, driven by renewed confidence in Pakistan’s improving economic outlook.
At around 9:35 AM, the KSE-100 Index climbed by 1,622.07 points to reach 167,098.09, with trading volumes surpassing 18.7 million shares. By 11:15 AM, the index had surged further by 2,085.67 points, touching an intraday high of 167,561.69 as overall volumes soared past 313 million shares.
By 12:29 PM, the PSX stood at 167,351.37, marking an intraday gain of 1,875.35 points (1.13%). The index traded within a day range of 165,886.78 and 167,561.69. Year-to-date, the PSX has gained 45.36%, while its one-year performance shows a massive 94.96% increase, reflecting sustained market recovery.
Top Performers and Decliners
Among the top gainers were DBCI, ESBL, and PIAHCLA, each soaring over 10%, alongside KOIL, FRCL, GEMBLUEX, and KOHP, which also posted double-digit gains. Other strong performers included STJT, ANTM, and AGIC, which closed near their upper circuit limits.
Conversely, BECO led the decliners, falling 10% to Rs49.56, followed by DMTM (-9.9%) and SHJS, LSEFSL, and TRSM, which dropped between 8% and 9%. Stocks like GUSM, AKGL, and SZTM also recorded losses, while blue-chip counters such as KHYT and ISIL slipped over 6%.
Sector-Wise Performance
In the banking sector, PSEL rose 10% to Rs980.50, while SNGP gained 6% to Rs135.50. BOP, PTC, and FABL each advanced over 5%, reflecting investor confidence in financials. Major banks, including HBL, MCB, and NBP, also posted steady gains.
Energy and cement shares saw positive momentum, with MARI up 2.44% at Rs763.47 and KEL up 2.25% to Rs7.27. Despite mild corrections in EFERT, CPHL, and MLCF, market breadth remained strongly positive.
Market Sentiment and Drivers
The ongoing rally was fuelled by improving political stability, a calmer situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and optimism following Pakistan’s recent staff-level agreement with the IMF for a $1.2 billion tranche. Analysts said the developments helped restore confidence in the country’s economic trajectory and boosted investor appetite for equities.
On Tuesday, the market had already set the tone with a massive 7,032.60-point surge, closing at 165,476.02, with 96 out of 100 index companies in the green. The rebound was largely attributed to strong performances from LUCK, UBL, SYS, ENGROH, and HUBC, which collectively added over 2,300 points to the index.
By 3:30 PM, the market fluctuated briefly, dipping 100.43 points to 165,375.59, before rebounding by 210.36 points to close at 165,686.38, with total trading volume reaching 891 million shares.
